22nd Jun 2021 08:22
(Alliance News) - ViiV Healthcare, a company majority-owned by GlaxoSmithKline PLC, on Tuesday said it signed a global collaboration and licence agreement with Halozyme Therapeutics to develop new HIV drugs.
ViiV will have exclusive access to Halozyme's Enhanze drug delivery technology, which enables faster injections of larger amounts of medicine.
That means ViiV can develop "ultra long-acting" medicines, with dosing intervals of at least three months. It will begin trials by the end of 2021.
"Many people living with HIV and those vulnerable to HIV tell us that for a variety of reasons, taking medicine every day is a challenge, and we have listened to them," said Kimberly Smith, head of research and development at Viiv.
"We believe long-acting medicines are the future of HIV therapies and will help address these unmet needs."
ViiV will pay USD40 million upfront to Halozyme, followed by milestone payments of up to USD175 million. Halozyme will also get "mid-single digit" royalties on sales of medicines that use the technology.
Pfizer Inc and Shionogi Ltd are minority shareholders in ViiV, a London-based HIV specialist.
Shares in GSK were down 0.6% at 1,406.13 pence in London early Tuesday.
By Ivan Edwards; [email protected]
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